Instead, when the sewing mood strikes, I play Tetris with my living room furniture. First I stack the coffee tables, which prop up my cutting surface. Second, my office desk transforms into a sewing table, with all clutter swept into a nearby bin. And finally, the ironing board emerges from the closet to occupy the remaining space.

It’s this last bit, the ironing station, that I struggle with most. I find the standard ironing board is no good for large projects. Its odd shape makes pressing yards of fabric a royal pain. A sewing friend suggested laying bath towels on my table and ironing atop them. It worked, for a bit. And then one day, the steam seeped through and warped my rotary cutting mat.

So, I recently decided, ENOUGH! Time to find a solution, so down the internet rabbit hole I dived.

Armed with my materials, I set to work. The measurements below match my cutting table (3’ x 6’). If you decide to give it a try, feel free to adjust to your personal needs.

Instructions – 36” x 72” Mat:

Pro Tips: Pre-wash your muslin and decorative cover to eliminate shrinkage. Use a denim or topstitching needle to best sew through all the layers

Step 1: Cut fabric to the size of your surface plus the following seam allowances (SA):

Backing Fabric – 1” SA (38” x 74”)

Inner Layers – No SA (36”x72”)

Decorative Cover – 1/2” SA (37” x 73”)

Step 2: Stack and center the layers as follows:

One layer Heavy Muslin

Two layers of batting

One layer Insul-Bright

Step 3: Fold the muslin fabric up along all four edges. Clip to hold in place.

Step 4: Take you cotton cover and fold under the 1/2″ SA on all sides.

Step 5: Clip/Pin through all four layers. All raw edges should be covered.

Step 6: At your sewing machine, sew two rows of stitching along each side.

Capture all layers while stitching to prevent shifting

For larger mats, use your extension table

Step 7: Lastly, give the seams of your pressing mat a good press.

Et voila! You’re all done!

Final Result

My super-sized pressing surface turned out great! Now, when I need to press multiple yards of fabric or iron my jeans with the mile-long inseams, I have a pressing surface to match. The best part is that even on the highest steam setting, only a minimal amount of condensation goes through. If I had used an additional layer of batting or Insul-Bright, I think the underside would be completely dry. Once I’m done, I simply roll it up and store it in my closet.

What do you use for your pressing surface? Have you ever tried an ironing mat? Sound off in the comments below!

Alongside a button-down shirt, a knit blazer has topped my bucket list of holy grail sewing items. That’s why my heart pranced when the Morris Blazer came out a few years back. I immediately added it to my collection as visions of skittle colored toppers danced through my head. A cherry blazer for Valentines Day? yes, please. Emerald for St Patty’s? Mais bien sûr!

Though the spirit was willing, the pattern remained in cold storage for close to two years before I pulled it out recently. The Morris Blazer is described as “the perfect mix of casual and cool. With a mixture of drape and structure, bracelet length sleeves, and gentle shawl collar, it looks great dressed up or down.”

Sizing and Adjustments

Based on my measurements (39″ high bust, 36″ waist, 44″ hip), I decided to cut a 14 above the bust, grading to a 16 for the waist/hips. I also made the following adjustments:

Lengthened the sleeves 4″ (Bracelet sleeves look weird)

Massive full bust adjustment to accommodate my 45″ bust*

Note: I forgot to lengthen the hem facing to account for the additional FBA length. I ended up with a small gap in the facing during construction.

Pattern Construction

The instructions hold your hand throughout the process. And for anything that appears confusing, you can check out Grainline’s oh-so-helpful sew-along. I found it extremely enlightening when it came time to attach the facing. After adding bust darts, I basted the pieces together and noticed the darts seemed a bit “swing low, sweet chariot.” Since gravity hasn’t yet defeated my “girls” that much, I ripped out the darts and raised them a few inches.

Final Fitting

Where do I begin? To quote Cher, it’s a full-on Monet. From far away, it’s okay, but up close, it’s a big ol’ mess. It’s far too boxy for my taste. I wish the pattern had a princess seam to provide a more tailored look. The lapels stuck up and flapped around awkwardly, so I tacked them down. I’m also bothered by the vertical drag lines at the bust – I’m not sure what’s causing that. Any ideas? A look at the rear view displays a lot of pooling in the back and the shoulders look a bit wide.

Sew It Again?

Umm, no thanks. I really regret using my dreamy ponte on this one. I wonder if any of it’s recoverable. At least this gives me an excuse to buy more fabric. #stillwinning

Let me know in the comments if you’ve had success with this pattern or can suggest a more fitted option!

Hello, my lovelies! A few weeks back, I awoke to a delightful surprise in my inbox. Cashmerette, one of my favorite indie companies, released a new pattern, the Dartmouth Top! Naturally, I snapped it up right away and set my printer to work cranking out PDF pages. (who could possibly wait for the printed version. I want it now!). A bit of tape, scissors and background music later, the pattern was ready to cut. But which version to choose? Described as cross-over jersey top, the pattern comes in two variations – fixed wrap or ruched front. I opted for door number one – Classic Fixed Wrap!

Version #1 – Classic Front in Classic Black Mystery Fabric

Since the company appears to use the same basic block for each pattern, I felt confident cutting out a straight 16 G/H (my current CP size). Lengthening the sleeves 1.5″ was the only adjustment I made. If you’ve sewn up the Cashmerette Appleton pattern, this one is pretty similar. In fact, the enterprising sewist could easily hack the Appleton into a Dartmouth (and vice versa).

From layout to hemming, it took me about 90 minutes to finish the top on my sewing machine. You could shave off much more time if you use a serger (mine experienced a sewmergency and I had to drop him at the hospital).

Et voila!

Cashmerette Dartmouth Top and Fehr Trade’s Steeplechase Leggings

Overall, the fit felt pretty good. The mystery fabric I snagged from my stash proved perfect for this project. Only a few adjustments are still needed for future versions. Clearly, sleeve length is an issue – these were the LONG sleeves and even with 1.5″ were quite short on me. I also considered shortening the hem as I’m not a huge fan of where it hits me on the front. All in all, not a bad effort. Though I can’t wait until my serger is back. Hideous insides hurt my heart!

Version #2 – Classic Front, Repurposed Sweater Knit

Perhaps it was the blizzard raging outside or maybe my credit card was still smoking from the last fabric haul, but I decided dive back into my fabric stash for Dartmouth Numero Dos. I found this brightly colored bit of sweater heaven hiding in my ottoman. No idea how it got there, yet I’m so glad it jumped out and screamed “my day has come!” For this version, changes included a 4″ sleeve extension and a slight let of the side seams to relieve some of the tightness in the back.

My thoughts on this one are mixed. I generally love the color and fit – even the slightly too long sleeves (increases the snuggliness factor). However, there are two layers of fabric from the front underbust to hem. It felt like I’d put on waist spanx given the limited stretch of the fabric. Now if that’s your cup of java, yay you! For me, not so much… Perhaps next time, I’ll take a page from Always A Crafty Lady and draft a single layer version. Until then, I’ll stay snuggly with my sweater Dartmouth!

One of my first thoughts on seeing this pattern was “That would make a gorgeous dress!” And here we are, transforming visions into reality. For this dress hack, I extended the front cross piece and back piece to just above my knees (about 14.5″ total). I left the undercross piece the same length to avoid having two long layers of fabric for the length of the dress. Speaking of fabric, my stash-busting marathon continued, yielding a lovely printed jersey from Gorgeous Fabrics. (The label exclaimed that this ITY was “needle-ready,” which still confuses me. Aren’t all fabrics needle ready?)

This was my first time hacking a top into a dress, so I knew my chances were 50/50 in the wadder vs wearable debate. Thankfully ladies and gents, we’ve got a wearable! Despite the picture showing both a too long AND too short sleeve, they’re actually a happy length (#selfieproblems). I like the fit through the body. And bonus, the insides are quite lovely, now that my serger returned triumphantly from the doctor. One thing sticks out to me though. Can you see it? Should I tell you? Because you definitely can’t un-see it… *sigh* The issue is pattern placement, my darlings! I unintentionally placed giant patches of black across my belly and bum! We may be back in wadder territory *blerg*

Version #4 – Quilted BodyCon Dartmouth Dress

And for my last and final act, I give you a bodycon Dartmouth Dress. This quilted knit fabric comes from one of those “we’ve been going out of business for years” shops in the Garment District. It feels almost scuba like in nature, though much less stretchy. Confession time – no stretch was checked before cutting this bad boy out. And when I tried it on? Yowza – calling all curves! It turned out a few hairs snugger than planned. Fortunately, I can still breathe.

Despite the cling, I do love the silhouette of this dress! Alterations wise, I used the previous dress pattern as a starting point, sewing up the whole dress, leaving the side seams open from the hip down. I then spent some quality time contorting before the mirror, hand pegging the skirt to my figure. (Who knew I could be so bendy? (#thanksyoga)). I now wish I’d traced the result onto the actual pattern for future versions (doh!). For the band, I used the wrong side of the fabric for contrast. When sewing it in, I accidentally used a 5/8″ seam allowance resulting in deeply plunging neckline (escándalo!). I decided to tack down the front to keep the mystery alive. One tip I would add is to curve the hem of the shorter front cross piece. When left straight, you can see a harsh line on the front of the dress. Drastically curving the hem made it disappear entirely. I love fabric magic!

Imagine it’s late Sunday evening. Like Aesop’s grasshopper, you danced and fiddled away your weekend. Now a cold winter Monday approaches and all of your gym clothes yet await their weekly wash. The laundry room beckons. But panic ensues at the thought of battling fellow residents for a machine. You sigh in resignation. It seems inevitable that your trainer will smirk knowingly when you arrive at your session in a cloud of Febreeze.

But soft, what light through yonder cubby breaks? It is the west and your fabric stash is the sun. An idea sprouts! Why wash your leggings when you could make some instead? You self-five to your genius and erupt in a flurry of sewing activity for the rest of the night.

My dears, the laundry struggle is real. But I digress.

Let’s talk about my latest leggings pattern – the Jalie Cora Running Tights! (Funnily enough, I ordered this pattern exactly one year ago today. Should I consider this an anniversary make? Hmm…) These tights come in two views (ankle-length and shorts), featuring a seamless inseam, “wide” waistband, and a back pocket. For those who like their leggings to resemble Skittles and unicorn farts, this pattern offers all the color blocking your heart could desire!

Originally, I planned to make my muslin pair in a safe solid black until my conscience announced that was a one-way ticket to Snoozeville. What’s the point of making something if it doesn’t delight the senses! Too right. I pulled out a few prints from my stash and tried some hand sketches to figure out a good combo. #epicfail.

Thank the sweet baby Jesús for Photoshop!! I quickly created a page of repeating technical drawings, uploaded the fabrics to my brush palettes, and started painting. So much fun and so quick to create – I may have to do this again for other patterns! The six options below were my favorites.

A bit overwhelmed by all the choices, I quickly surveyed my Instagram friends and IRL mates to help me narrow it down. The vote was split fairly evenly between A, B, and C. (No one seemed to like the bottom row – I guess peacock bum probably isn’t the best look. What do you think?) I decided to start with option A, using purple and black supplex I recently snagged at Spandex House.

Oh-So Wearable Muslin

After sewing up the two piece Steeplechase Leggings, tracing out Cora’s nine pieces felt like climbing Everest. My measurements placed me in an AA for the hips (45″) and CC for the waist (38″). A quick search of the blogosphere revealed that this pattern runs a bit snug. Rather than worry about grading, I traced out a straight size CC.

Normally, for a first time pattern, I avoid making too many adjustments beyond adding length. However, the “wide” waistband appeared too wimpy for my tastes. I know low rise pants are all the rage, but plumber’s crack is not a style line I like to feature in my creations. So I widened both the waistband and facing pieces by 1.5″ to create a heftier version. To ensure my ankles stayed warm, I extended the calf and front pieces by 2.5″.

Canadians must be pretty eco-friendly, as the entire pattern including instructions comes printed on a single sheet of paper. It can be a bit frustrating to navigate as the instructions don’t fit neatly on a single folded section. My friend Google told me that Jalie has a YouTube instruction video that takes you through the entire make step-by-step (♫day by day♫). Score! About an hour later, ’twas time for the big reveal!

Yay for royal purple leggings! I liked how they turned out (very similar to the Photoshop version). My one gripe is that they’re perhaps a hair cozier than I’d normally like. Turns out the noted seam allowance is 1/4″. I’d been happily serging off 3/8″. When you add that to the 1/4″ width of the serged seam – I’m surprised I could still breathe – thank goodness I cut out a CC. I blame this mistake for the flatness of my tuchus in these photos. Definitely some major compression going on here.

Despite the SA debacle, the fit feels pretty great! I successfully debuted these at the gym the next day with several compliments on my efforts. I think I shall have to make some more!!

Shocking Purple Peacock Pants

Soo, I hadn’t planned to make another pair so quickly. However, the laundry struggle I mentioned above happened this weekend. And this vision of purple peacock loveliness is the result! (Absolutely zero attempts were made at pattern matching. 9pm on a Sunday night… you do the math #nojudgement).

This time I remembered to sew the correct seam allowance with expectations of a looser fit. Isn’t it amazing how different fabrics yield different outcomes? Turns out the peacock print had slightly less stretch than the purple supplex, so these ended up just as snug as the last pair. *womp womp* Not that snug is a bad thing! The end result still had me practically dancing to the gym on Monday morning to show them off.

For future versions, I need to figure out how to tighten the back pocket opening. My phone came flying out mid-burpee and smacked me on the head. Ouch! Not my best gym moment for sure.

Recommendation – how do I love thee, Cora? let me count the ways!

Both thumbs rise way up for this fantastic pattern! Multiple sizes, tons of color blocking options, clear video instruction, and less than 90 minutes to sew (thank you for no pressing required spandex!)? What’s not to love!

I plan to explore my stash for some new color combinations. Would a citrine leggings with a magenta bum be too much?? Have you tried this pattern? What did you think?

My friends, winter is coming. Or rather winter is here and baby, it’s cold outside. Fortunately, my holiday diet of Klondike bars and comfort food at Casa de Parents generated a healthy layer of padding to keep me warm. Unfortunately, I returned home to discover that extra fluffiness added a hint of sausage to my workout gear. *womp womp* Uninspired by the idea of buying yet another $55 pair of black stretch pants, I decided to make my own!

But which pattern to choose? A quick rummage through my cabinet unveiled the Fehr Trade’s Steeplechase Leggings taped up and ready to go – WIN! Double bonus points when I realized it had only two pattern pieces and required a mere 1.5 yards of fabric.

Now, a smart woman, a frugal woman, a woman who knows she has two wardrobes full of perfectly adequate fabric would have opened said wardrobe and gotten started. Friends, I am soo not that woman. A new project means NEW FABRIC. Plus my Christmas cash was itching to find a new home in the pockets of the local fabric merchants. So off to the Garment District I went where my eager hands fondly molested ALL THE PRETTY TEXTILES. A few hours later (and a few dollars shorter), I emerged with enough spandex for five pairs of leggings.

Say hello to my little loves! Aren’t they just a feast for the irises?? Solid supplex in teal, purple and black (not shown) are great, but it’s the purple peacock and neon palm leaves that excite me most.

Brand new fabrics and a super-faded instruction packet. (Two years in the sun causes serious fading (Note to self – wear more sunscreen))

Leggings – Muslin Round

My measurements put me between a L and XL in the pattern. Since this was my first time making theses leggings, I opted for slightly too large over too small. Most patterns are drafted for someone in the 5’5″ – 5’7″ range, so I added 3″ to handle my 5’11” glory. (Anyone know what height Fehr Trade drafts for?)

From start to finish, the leggings took me about an hour and half to complete. It would have taken less time if my coverstitch hadn’t broken two needles on the waistband elastic. I also skipped the pocket, as I would never use it.

Color me pretty pleased with the outcome. The XL wasn’t too large after all. The fit feels perfect around the waist and through the crotch area. I can see some slight pulling along the outer seams. However, I think it may be due to poor stitching vs bad fit. So long as I sew more slowly on the curves, that should go away. The pants are crazy comfortable. My thighs happily brush back and forth without any seam interference – a rather neat feeling! I can’t wait to try them out at my next yoga class!

First ever pair of leggings! Me likey 🙂

Leggings – Neon Palm Leaves

I probably should’ve waited until after a workout or two before whipping up the next pair. However, “patient soul” is not an epitaph anyone will use at my homegoing. Besides – NEON PALM PANTS!!!! Who could possibly wait?!? I kept the same size for this round, only making two small alterations. First, I shortened the legs by 1.5″ – the original 3″ extension was a bit too much. Secondly, I tapered the ankles, removing about 1.5″ from the base for a snugger fit.

This fabric is pure spandex and a bit tricky to sew. While I love the print, I miss the cool looking seam lines. Before I sew up the rest of my leggings, I’m going to wear these to a few classes. I may need to make further adjustments after they’ve been road tested.

Recommendation – Winner winner, chicken dinner!

Overall, I loved this pattern! I had my doubts when I looked at the pattern shapes. However, the excellent drafting and instructions guide you through it easy-peasy. I will certainly be making more of these this winter. Perhaps using some of the snuggly merino wool I just ordered from The Fabric Store. Wool leggings! I can already feel the warmth.

Last night, I needed a sewing fix and I signed up for a lingerie workshop at The New York Sewing Center. The session promised to teach me how to make a pair of “perfect panties.” Frankly, achieving perfection in 1.5hours seemed like a bit of a stretch, but I was game. My solo attempts at constructing knickers were somewhat disastrous. My machine’s feed dogs have a taste for expensive lace.

After work, I darted uptown to the New York Sewing Center studio near the Garment District. The tiny space offered just enough room for the four attendees and our teacher, Jen. Despite its size, they managed to pack in pretty much all the things a sewer could need – cutting tables (x2), six sewing stations, pressing area, plenty of notions, plus an inspiration board. Ahhh, the resourcefulness of my fellow New Yorkers.

Classroom Space at The New York Sewing Center

Class started promptly at 6:30pm. Within minutes, we’d collected our materials and snuggled up to our machines. Jen, our fearless leader, guided us through the assembly process from laying out and pinning the pieces to sewing the gusset and installing the leg elastics. She checked on us periodically to make sure we were following along.

Construction Process

Everyone sewed the same pattern and fabrics. In future classes, it would be great if you could choose your size or pick from a rainbow of laces. Unpicking tiny black stitches from fine black lace was a challenge. Though I’d take unpicking over ripping my project from the unforgiving jaws of the feed dogs. (Perhaps, all sewing machines enjoy chowing down on lacy bits). The teacher did offer a way to prevent this: Start sewing about 3/4 in from the top edge and backstitch to the beginning. I tried out it a few times and found it had a 50% success rate. Does anyone have other ideas? I’d love to bump that rate up to the 80s or 90s.

Normally, after I finish a project, I’m eager to try it on and twirl before my mirror. In this case, I let the resident model/monster do the honors. Isn’t he cute?! I shall call him Marvin, the Modelster. I found him hiding behind one of the sewing machines. While I’m fairly pleased with the results, I get the feeling he’s a bit less impressed – ha!

Clockwise from top right. My fearless underwear model slash monster; Close-up of final product; Our teacher, Jen (who is way more friendly than the photo suggests)

Sewing underwear is far easier than I had imagined and really took no time at all. With a little practice, you could easily churn out four or five pair in an hour! Post class, I’m certainly inspired to figure this out. Laundry tops my list of things I prefer to ignore. Plus, sewing a fresh pair of underwear sounds way more fun than washing it. Wouldn’t you agree?

Overall: ♥♥ out of ♥♥♥♥♥. While I enjoyed parts of the class, I was disappointed overall. I wouldn’t have enrolled had the description been more clear that we were merely sewing pre-cut pieces together. Since there is no customization of the pattern, I sadly didn’t walk out with a pair of wearable knickers. My favorite classes are the ones where the teacher welcomes everyone, kicks off a quick round of introductions, and then gives an overview of what to expect from the class. None of this happened when I arrived. In my opinion, the instructor, while lovely, could have done a better job of explaining sewing terms for the beginners in class (e.g. Right vs Wrong sides, seam allowance, etc). For $90, I would have also appreciated a handout with tips on sewing lace, where to source materials, and list of next steps if you want to learn more.

If you have any sewing experience, I would skip this class and try Beverly Johnson’s Craftsy course – Sewing Panties: Construction & Fit. If folks are interested, I will post a review of this course later on.

Improving the fit of my garments topped my list of sewing goals for 2016. When I stumbled across the Palmer/Pletsch website earlier this summer, I impulsively enrolled in their 4-Day Pants Fitting Workshop in Philadelphia. I had read about the tissue-fitting method in the Fit for Real People book series and the concept intrigued me – cut out the tissue, try it on, tweak the fit and then cut your fabric straight away! No need for a muslin. I figured I’d give it the old college try, since I hate making muslins. I also secretly hoped it would embolden me to cut into my pattern tissues. (#teamtracing all the way!)

September soon arrived and I hopped the Bolt Bus to Philadelphia. One thing to note – the workshop claims Philadelphia as home. However, it’s really more Philly-adjacent. Fortunately, it was an easy transfer for a car-less New Yorker. I caught a bus from the 30th St station to King of Prussia. An hour later, the bus dropped me off directly in front of my hotel for the week. Bonus!

I settled in at the DoubleTree hotel. The prices were a bit high for my taste, but you can’t beat the location. It’s across the street from the class venue. If you do end up staying here, avoid the restaurant. The food is no bueno (as in so bad, I ended up sending back several dishes). I highly recommend picking up snacks from the grocery store or hopping the shuttle to the mall food court.

Day 1 – “Fitting is an art, not a science”

Armed with pen, paper and a bag full of sewing gear, I toddled off to Steve’s Sewing Center. The workshop is held in one of back class rooms. It’s wonderfully set up. Everyone has access to tall cutting stations (happy back, happy life) and sewing tables offering plenty of arm room and outlets. I borrowed a machine as I didn’t think my Brother would make the trip in the hold of a charter bus. Good thing too! He’d have been seriously outclassed by the lovely machines the rest of my classmates brought. Color me emerald with a serious case of gadget envy!

Classroom #2 at Steve’s Sewing & Vac

We were eight in total – mostly from the East Coast (and one fellow New Yorker!). Morning passed quickly. After introductions finished, our instructor, Pamela Leggett, dove right into the session. She explained how we’d all start with her Pamelas’s Pants Perfected pattern. Later in the session, we could apply what we learned to the patterns we brought with us.

I really enjoyed Pamela’s teaching style. She describes fitting as an art, not a science and we should consider ourselves sculptors as we drape the fabric onto our bodies. Plus, she’s incredibly knowledgeable and answered everyone’s questions with the patience of Job. I learned so much just from the initial discussion.

Key takeaways:

Even TNT patterns require some re-fitting – the only time your pants will come out the same is if a) your body never changes, b) you have perfect cutting skills, and c) you use the exact same fabric.

No droopy crotches – the crotch seam should fit all the way to the body. Somewhat counter intuitively, the closer the fit, the more room for movement.

Choose your own waistline – you can place the waist-marking elastic anywhere you like and adjust the pattern accordingly.

Multi-size Patterns are cut to the largest size – If the envelope says a Large is a 12-14, it’s drafted for a 14. Nifty!

Excited to get started!

Right after lunch, we headed to our work stations to start cutting out our patterns. Pamela measured each of us and had us try on one of her sample sizes to choose our starting point. The nice thing about her pattern is many common adjustments are built in. I really liked how it offered both a narrow and full back option. As a card carrying member of team-junk-in-the-trunk, I loved not having to make a full rear adjustment. In fact, the tissue fit so well, I barely had to make any changes! I just needed to add a little space at the waist and extend the legs by about four inches.

Day 2 – Pattern Adjustments and Fabric Fitting

We spent most of the second day adjusting our paper patterns and basting/fitting the fabric. I didn’t have many changes, so I took copious notes as I watched as she marked up the others.

One of the great things about this workshop are the little extras like the food (oh the food) and lots of bonding. We ate so well all four days. The lunches provided by the caterer were simply scrumptious! She happily accommodated any food allergies / sensitivities without sacrificing taste. While dinners were typically on our own, one evening we stayed late, ordered takeout, and watched a wonderful documentary on the craft of tailoring.

Day 3 – Applying the Finishing Touches

On the third day, we were all finishing up our pants pattern. I feel like mine came out pretty great! They fit perfectly through the crotch area and sit exactly where I wanted along my waist. One thing I would change is the pockets. I added them at the last minute with some obnoxiously bright magenta lining. (#mysecretthrill) I’m not a huge fan of the additional bulk at the hip. The pocket design means they don’t lie flat and splay open at all times. It drives me a bit crazy, then again – wearing pants without pockets is no way to live. *blerg*

Et Voila! My first pair of pants!!!

Once we’d finished the pants, Pamela showed us how to transfer the changes we made in the fabric fitting to the pattern tissue. She went to each person’s table to assist them with the adjustments. My changes were fairly simple, so I learned more from observing everyone else’s examples.

Day 4 – Graduation Day!

Four days passed in a blink. Sunday morning found each of us working on different projects. Some ladies finished up their first pair of pants, while others were happily fabric fitting their second set. I had brought along Vogue 1464 and Simplicity 1696, so I spent the time tissue fitting with Pamela’s help. I must say I was excited to see only a few adjustments were required to the Vogue pattern – I raised the center back waist and redrafted the back panel so the seam runs down the middle of the leg. (It’s also apparent that my go-go-gadget legs need another few inches in length.) Can’t wait to see how these turn out!

Tissue Fitting for V1464 – Look, Ma! I have a tail

Our final lunch was inhaled as everyone was eager to scurry back to their work stations. All too soon, clean-up time arrived. We gently folded up our projects and packed away our notions. Within the hour, all evidence of our festive times had been erased (*sob*). We said goodbye to Steve’s team and headed off for our graduation dinner just around the corner.

Over dinner, Pamela handed out our graduation certificates along with the cutest little black dress cookie cutter! Towards the end, she asked us each to share one or two “aha” moments we’d had during class. When my turn came around, I mentioned how surprised I was that the tissue-fitting method actually works. I had had serious doubts coming in. Sure it’s not perfect, but it gets me a lot closer than I had been in the past. Secondly, I fell in love with Pamela’s foolproof method of sewing darts – no tracing required. The last dress I whipped up had 14 darts – so this method is a godsend. Woohoo!

Every single one of us mentioned how exited we were to have FINALLY sewn a well-fitting pair of pants. (I wish we’d taken a picture our creations. But, I guess that will have to wait for the next class.)

Palmer/Pletsch Graduation Dinner – Look at those smiling faces!

I had such a wonderful time. What a treat to hang out and sew with like-minded folks! Next year, I hope to take one of the 4-day fit workshops. Maybe I’ll head out to Portland or Seattle – four days on the gorgeous West Coast sounds like fun to me!

Ciao for now 🙂

Have you ever tried the tissue-fitting method? What did you think?

Post Workshop Update (22 November 2016)

At our graduation dinner, Pamela challenged us to create a pair of pants by the end of October. I just knew I would sew at least four pairs and would soon have a closet full of long-legged beauties. Ummm, not so much. My motivation lasted only a week. I managed to cut out a pair of of trousers in glorious red, tropical wool. Sadly, I never made it past the fabric fitting stage. They now sit in my box of UFOs waiting patiently for the day when I pick them up again. *womp womp*